Guwahati, June 6: Human-elephant conflict (HEC) remains a bane of life of villagers in several villages in Assam’s Udalguri district, where crop damage and property loss are serious concerns for local communities.
As part of Aaranyak’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the raging HEC and facilitate coexistence, a torchlight distribution and awareness programme was held on June 2 last at Nunaikhuti village in the district, according to a Press release.
During the event, ten torchlights were distributed to residents from three chubas within Nonaipara Tea Estate, Nonaipara Basti, and Chauntalpara Basti. These torches are intended to improve night-time visibility and help deter elephants, providing a simple yet effective tool for community safety in a HEC situation.
An awareness session followed, which included a display of our signature campaign “Gaja Katha Pt. 2”, a resource on elephant behaviour and co-existence, along with a demonstration of the “HaatiApp”, a mobile app designed to support wild elephants monitoring and response for mitigation of HEC. A total of 18 villagers took part in the programme, showing keen interest in learning practical mitigation strategies.
This initiative, supported by SBI Foundation as part of its conservation efforts, is an impactful step toward fostering safer and more informed communities living alongside wild elephants.
